Reps to amend Labour Act to strengthen NLC

The House of Representatives says it plans to amend the Labour Act to strengthen the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House made the pledge on Wednesday in Abuja, while receiving the leadership of the NLC in his office in Abuja. He said the NLC represented vast majority of Nigerians and had a mandate to protect the interest of the common man just like the legislature. “We will be looking forward to your inputs, we are ready to look at them and amend the Labour Act. “You should do that on time because time is of the essence so that we pass it very quickly,” Gbajabimila said. The speaker urged the union to key into the motto of the 9th House of Representatives which was “Nation Building, a Joint Task”. He said that NLC should always conduct its activities free from political, religious or ethnic influences.Earlier, NLC Chairman, Mr Ayuba Wabba said that the visit was aimed at seeking collaboration of the house towards building the union into a strong institution. Wabba said that democracy can only thrive in the country through strong institutions like the NLC, legislature, judiciary among others. He said that the NLC was made up of unions in the informal and formal sectors and that it represented the interest of the common man. The chairman said the NLC was interested in sustaining cordial relationship with the green chamber for the protection of Nigerian people. According to him, the United States, Germany, China and other developed countries have very strong labour unions and there is need to strengthen the NLC. He stressed the need to put an end to casualisation of workers through legislation, describing it as modern day slavery. Wabba said that when amending the Labour Act, labour unions should be made more independent and that every Nigerian worker should be free to join any union of his choice. He said there was need for a social dialogue which should be made up of all stakeholders to address issues rather than strikes. Wabba commended the house for its interventions in resolving labour related matters especially in the health, education and power sectors in the country.

“The Executive Order 10 makes it mandatory for state governments to include the allocation of the judiciary and legislative arms of government as first line charges in their annual budgets,” he said.

He, therefore, said that the history of arm-twisting and abuse of the judiciary and legislative arms of government at the sub-national level in Nigeria was a long one, adding that this had only gotten worse in recent years.

Wabba said the legendary distortion of due process, checks and balances, and public accountability, were the core ingredients in the principle of separation of powers.

He said that this got to a head when legislators in some of the State Houses of Assembly rejected constitutional proposals to grant them financial autonomy during the constitutional review process led by the 7th National Assembly.

The NLC president noted that the asphyxiation of the legislative and judiciary arms of government at the state level and the increasing concentration of powers in the hands of the executive arm of government should be of great concern to every Nigerian.

“According to the French philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu, the fundamental aim of the principle of separation of powers is to ensure that no arm of government usurps total power.

“This is what Section 121 (3) of Nigerian 1999 Constitution seeks to promote.

“We need to emphasise the point that strong legislative and judiciary institutions of government are the strong pillars of democracy and good governance,” Wabba said.

He said that a resilient judiciary and a conscientious legislature were therefore sine qua non to the deepening of the democratic process, promotion of public accountability and ensuring popular participation.

Wabba, however, said that it was pertinent to note that it was the collective duty of the political leaders at all levels to uphold, promote and sustain the virility of the public institutions especially the legislative and judiciary arms of government.

“The truth is that if our political leaders were alive to this duty, there would not have been any need for the Presidential Implementation Committee set up on March 22, 2019, ” he said.

He noted that this was almost one year after Section 121(3) had been assented into law and at least the exercise of one budget cycle.

Wabba said until the release of Executive Order 10, there were very little signs to show seriousness on the part of state governors to comply with the clear demands of Section 121 (3) of the constitution.

“This is a direct violation of the oath sworn by our state governors to uphold the Nigerian Constitution at all times in the interest of good governance, strengthening of the principle of separation of powers national stability, and overall development of Nigeria.

“We urge political leaders at every level to respect the wishes of the Nigerian people and allow the full exercise of financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislature in the states,” he added.

He said that democracy must remain the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

NLC condemns killings in Sokoto

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Saturday condemned the killing of about74 persons by bandits in some villages in Sabon Birnin Gobir and Gwadabawa Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.

The NLC Preseident, Mr Ayuba Wabba, expressed the congress’ shock over the massacre by dare devil assailants on Wednesday (May 27) in the affected communities.

“The callous and gruesome killing of even children and infants in that moment of madness in Sokoto State, and on a day the whole world celebrated the Children’s Day is not only sacrilegious but indeed the height of barbarism.

“We condemn vehemently this orgy of violence and misery. It is of great concern to us that the cry for help by attacked communities in Sokoto State failed to attract timely intervention by the government and our security forces.

“This is very sad and disconcerting. To those children and adults mowed down by the bullets of the cowardly assailants, their government failed them. To the families licking the wounds of the death of their loved ones, the state failed them,” he said in a statement.

Wabba noted that the assailants in Sokoto had had free operation of killing and maiming, adding that withing the past 10 years about10,000 Nigerians had been killed.

According to him, last Wednesday killings in Sokoto state is another round of death too many.

”We strongly reiterate our earlier calls for the silencing, once and for all, of the machines of death in every part of Nigeria.

“The social trauma, economic displacement and demographic dislocation occasioned by the tributaries of blood flowing through the plains of North East and North West Nigeria foretells foreboding consequences.

. “The spill over from the major theatres of violence in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States is also affecting many other states in Nigeria especially states that are in the North Central.

“We urge the Federal Government to continue to invest robust resources in intelligence gathering, armament and equipping of the Nigerian military especially airpower given the terrain difficulties in many of the vulnerable communities constantly under attack.

“While we condole with the Sokoto State Government and families of those killed, we urge that the ongoing support being offered by the State Government should be broadened and sustained.

“We congratulate all Muslim workers and indeed the Nigerian Muslims community for successfully concluding the observance of the holy month of Ramadan.

“The restrictions and inconveniences imposed by the novel coronavirus has made the observation of this year’s Ramadan far more tasking and indeed more spiritually rewarding for all Muslims.

“Your perseverance through the fasting period is a shining embodiment of the spirit of Eid. “Eid-el-fitri is a very significant event in the life of every Muslim, chiefly because of the virtues it exemplifies.

“Eid-el-fitri teaches dedication, discipline, diligence, love and sharing. It is also a time of stock taking as Muslims use the period of the Ramadan fasting to take an objective assessment of their areas of strength and weakness,” he said.

The NLC president noted that strengths were consolidated while the weaknesses were strengthened.

Wabba, therefore, said that the Eid-el-fitri reinforced the lessons of COVID-19. According to him, the need to love and to share has never been as profoundly communicated as during the current global fight against Coronavirus.

He added that there was no better time to share with those who did not have especially the destitute in our midst.

“This year’s Eid-el-fitri also echoes the message of hope which inspires all of us that though the night of COVID-19 might be long but the rays of the dawn of Allah’s benevolent mercies will soon arrive to compensate for all the current troubles.

“We can only keep faith alive, while we urge every Nigerian Muslim and all citizens to fully imbibe the virtues of Eid-el-fitri, ” he said.

Wabba said that Nigerian workers had demonstrated a strong affinity to the values of Eid-el-fitri by soldiering-on in self-denial, dedication, and diligence as frontline workers against COVID-19 pandemic.

He also said that government at all levels and employers could make workers’ load lighter by ensuring the security of jobs, income and livelihood.

“The Ramadan Holiday is not the time to arbitrarily cut down the salaries of workers or deny workers’ their means of livelihood.

“It is also important to stress that we must all rise to the existential challenges thrown up by the coronaviruspandemic.

“We must take personal responsibilities for our own health especially through abiding by extant public health regulations,” Wabba said.

He said that the leadership of Congress appreciated all Muslims for praying for Nigeria during the Ramadan, especially in the face of the deadly novel coronavirus disease.

He added that, as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 cauldron, we urge all Nigerians to intensify prayers for national peace and safety.

“We all must also renew our commitment to contributing our quota to ensure a stable, inclusive and resilient Nigerian society.

“It is our prayer that by next year’s Eid, the troubles of the current pandemic would have paled into history, in sha Allah (SWT). Once again, we extend our best wishes for a most rewarding Eid-el-fitri.

“May Allah’s blessings be multiplied on us and may our supplications and other prayers during this holy month of Ramadan bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and all over the world,” he said.

“The recent harassment and intimidation of healthcare workers in the state by security officers and men of the Nigeria Police is worrisome and condemnable.

“We call on the government to urgently address this issue and to caution this overzealous security men.

“This is to avoid unnecessary crisis at this critical time when the whole world is fighting a common enemy; we should be seen to be working on the same per,” she said.

Sessi also called on the government not to stop mobilising the needed instrument of government cum public participation to confront the COVID-19 pandemic.

While commending the government’s efforts in putting in place palliatives, she said efforts were not enough compared to the realities on ground.

“We call on the government to improve on all the indices that will cushion the effect of the pandemic and improve on the welfare of all people of Lagos,” she said.

Sessi said earlier that the aim of setting up the committee was to closely monitor the effect of the pandemic with a view to offering appropriate advice to relevant authorities.

According to her, activities of the committee will focus on sensitisation of workers and citizens on the reality, prevalence, prevention and containment measures against the virus among others.

“Our collective resolve as critical stakeholders to set up a situation room on COVID-19 in Lagos State will go a long way in complementing government’s efforts in the management of the pandemic.

“Also, proper and fair advice will be continuously offered based on verified information sourced from different sectors of the state by this committee,” she said.

Sessi said that setting up of the committee was to ensure the promotion and prevention of loss of jobs.

According to her, the committee will intervene on matters arising from the fallout of the pandemic to ensure there are no job losses and no reduction or cut in workers salaries.

“As it is, we forsee a situation where some factories and workplaces will experience closure and reduction in working hours.

“In fact, some companies have leveraged on the current situation to violate the workers’ rights.

“In all of this, Lagos State workers demand jobs and wage protection; to make this possible, factories and businesses will require stimulus, financial aids and other micro economic support.

“We want both the Federal and State Governments, and international bodies to come to the aid of not only multinational companies, but also to employers of labour,” she said.

In his remarks, the Publicity Secretary, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Moruf Abdusalam, said that COVID-19 was a multisectoral problem that would need to be tackled by all sectors and facets of the society.

Abdusalam said: “Though, the medical practitioners and other health workers are the frontliners, we know that the pandemic is also affecting many homes, jobs and various sectors of our economy.

“The committee is a welcome development so that we can be a think tank for policies that the government will make.

“We cannot leave it to the government alone; professionals have to continue to advice government, both in our personal and collective capacities.”

Maritime industry can create more jobs in post-COVID-19 era – ANLCA

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Wednesday, said the maritime industry could create more jobs if well harnessed.

The National President of the association, Mr Tony Nwabunike, said that there should not be any fear of job loss in the maritime industry.

According to him, we have watched the shocking and ongoing devastating impact of the coronavirus disease on various sectors of the economy leading to massive job losses and general quake in the global economy.

Nwabunike noted that though not completely insulated from effects of the pandemic, the Nigerian maritime industry held potential to serve as the country’s low hanging fruits for economic growth, stability and survival

He said that unlike the aviation industry where government agencies including airlines were either mulling salary slash, workers lay-off, shrinking human capital needs, the maritime industry still held the ace as an indispensable mode of global trade and commerce

“Rather than worry over likelihood of job loss, customs brokers, freight forwarders, truck owners, chandlers and other ancillary service providers in the industry should gravitate toward keeping themselves abreast with virtual presence and operations in the ports.

“At ANLCA, we have always advocated for a modern port regime with lesser amount of persons coming into port areas.

“This will now be a fast track drive because persons and businesses can meet virtually, submit, process and receive documents online without leaving the comfort of our homes and offices.

“While the port cannot be virtual, our presence can be. We have been partaking in Webinars where we communicate effectively, take business and corporate decisions without travelling.

“The haulage section will always be there; it cannot be taken over virtually. We only foresee a regime of improved rail services,” he said in a statement.

Nwabunike said that the best way to harvest post–COVID-19 benefits from the ports was through exports, cutting unnecessary imports, avoiding waste and the need for private investment in rail coaches.

He pointed out that for exports, Nigeria as a matter of urgency must develop non-oil exports to keep jobs up, saying that much more was needed to be done in the agricultural sector.

Nwabunike said that as a country, we should identify products for which we had comparative advantage, as Nigerian-made electric cables had been noted for being of higher quality than most imported ones. Government should be the number one buyer.

He called for urgent steps to be taken to refine crude oil locally and stop the importation of refined petroleum products.

“That we have cotton but still depend on other countries to produce our clothing needs is a result of a fall in the local textile industry.

“The industry is dying partly due to lack of power as it was discovered that it was cheaper to manufacture textiles outside Nigeria than doing it in the country.

“Our textile industry alone can produce jobs running into millions for 200 million people and exporting to other countries. Rice self-sufficiency is still a struggle even after its removal from Foreign Exchange and ban from importation through land borders.

“Whereas the railway is government-owned. There is need to allow private investment in ownership of coaches to move cargoes from dry ports to the seaports and vice versa.

“This mode of transport if encouraged and opened for the private sector, will bring about cheaper and safer mode of cargo movement within the country,’’ Nwabunike said.

COVID-19: NLC to embark on awareness campaign against stigmatisation of victims

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says it will embark on a nationwide education and awareness campaign to discourage the stigmatisation of workers and Nigerians, who are COVID-19 victims.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said this was necessary in order to avoid workplace infraction and injustice.

According to him, we are aware of the backlash of COVID-19 stigmatisation, the NLC will embark on a nationwide education and awareness campaign to discourage the stigmatisation of workers and vitims of COVID-19.

“We urge every Nigerian to treat COVID-19 survivors as heroes and heroines. Such noble gesture would encourage infected cases to boldly come forward knowing that they would not be stigmatized.

“This kind of response is crucial in preventing a second wave of COVID-19 in Nigeria. We need all hands to be on deck in this regard, ” he said.

Wabba said that efforts at COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, public fumigation, environmental sanitation and robust public healtheducation should be expanded and intensified.

He added that, in the course of the gradual relaxation of the lockdown, it is important that individual citizens and corporate organisations have both personal and collective responsibility to adhere to all health guidelines.

“We call on the leadership of our industrial unions and the state councils to continue working with the different cadres of workers’ leadership in the states and unions to ensure that health and safety facilities and guidelines are followed.

“Such as running water, soaps, hand sanitizers, use of protective masks and social distancing are made available and enforced at different workplaces.

“We encourage workers not to hesitate to contact the National Secretariat of NLC in the event of any COVID-19 related work place infraction, injustice, negligence and gender-based discrimination, ”Wabba added.

He however, added that in spite of the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are deeply enamored by the bravery and resourcefulness of our health care professionals, who have put their lives on the line to contain the spread of the virus.

“In spite of the relative deficit of material resources at their disposal, they have arguably recorded some of the best recovery rates in the world.

“We are immensely proud of the love, faith, courage, and sacrifice demonstrated by our frontline heroes and heroines who have certainly given more than the demand of the call of duty.

“Our gallant frontline workers have served and continue to serve as the resolute buffer between COVID-19 and mass infections cum deaths.

“We will forever be in the debt of thousands of our courageous healthcare workers, transport workers, utility employees, journalists and workers in the informal sector who have continued to show up at their duty posts despite the stare of death, dearth of working tools and paucity of gratitude.

“We condole with the families of workers who have paid the supreme sacrifice in the fight against COVID-19. We assure you that their labours will not be in vain,” he said.

The NLC president commended the Federal Government for the insurance cover and enhanced incentives provided for frontline health workers, while urging states to do same.

“Apart from high infection and mortality rate, the biggest impact of COVID-19 pandemic is the disruption of socio- economic order.

“According to International Labour Organisation (ILO), 25 million people will likely lose their jobs as a result of the pandemic.

“It also warns of severe job contraction in the informal sector as the opportunity for people to be engaged will be highly restricted, given the restriction of movement in many places,” she said.

The chairman also said that the union was aware that some employers might exploit the current situation and engage in anti-labour practices in their organisations to further inflict pains on workers.

She, however, warned that such act would be vehemently resisted by labour.

“While labour will continue to show understanding at this trying time, we implore employers to be cautious in taking decisions on issues that borders on the livelihood of workers.

“We appeal to the three arms of government, including the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary, to provide an unrivaled leadership and services not only to the workers but the entire citizens of Lagos State.

“Also, agencies that are saddled with responsibilities of protecting the rights of the workers at work should be alive to their duties,” she said.

Sessi, while commending the government for its efforts in fighting the pandemic, called on the government not to renege on its responsibilities of providing the needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers.

She said: “Applauding the health workers is not enough without the continuous provision of safety kits for them to prevent transmission of the virus.

“We do not want health workers to become dead heroes and victims, because we need as many health workers as possible to be alive and healthy to keep up the good work they are doing.”

The chairman commended the state government in distributing relief materials to cushion the effect of the lockdown.

She said that the efforts had not yielded the desired result and therefore called on the government to revisit the distribution of palliative items.

“Despite the importance of workers at this critical time, a critical stakeholder like organised labour was not carried along by the government in the distribution of the palliatives.

“We request the inclusion of the real vulnerable in the society including pensioners, widows, physically challenged, to mention a few, as beneficiaries in the palliative arrangement,” Sessi urged.

COVID-19: NLC in Borno to produce 100,000 face mask for workers

The Borno Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says it will distribute 100, 000 face masks and sanitisers to protect workers and stem further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

The state Chairman, Bulama Abiso, disclosed this at the 2020 May Day celebration on Friday in Maiduguri.

Abiso said that this year’s celebration titled: “COVID-19 Pandemic and its Socio-economic impact on the Nigerian working class,” was held without funfair due to outbreak of the pandemic in the country.

He said that the face mask was to complement the effort of the state government in combating COVID-19 and to protect the workers from contracting it.

Abiso commended the state government for adopting proactive measures toward containing the virus from spreading in the state.

“Dear comrades, it is no longer news that COVID-19 is real, as we gather here today, about five of our frontline health workers are currently at isolation centre as a result of contracting the virus.

“While also commending them for payment of stipends to the frontline health workers at the isolation centre, there is the need for the government to implement the hazard allowance approved by the Federal Government to health workers in the state,” he said.

The chairman urged the workers to adopt the habit of social distancing, wearing of face mask, regular and frequent washing of hands with soap or sanitizer to stay safe.

Abiso also called on individuals, corporate organisations and other humanitarian agencies to assist the state government in combating the pandemic.

On worker’s welfare, Abiso urged the government to rescind its decision of suspending the promotion of civil servants until 2021.

The labour leader argued that such decision would undermine the productivity expected of the workers and create industrial disharmony in the system.

“The organised labour advises that proper and appropriate mechanism be put in place to check further abuse of the procedure, if any, but not suspending a legitimate right of workers.

“The question usually asked is what will be the faith of a worker who is due to be promoted and proceeded for retirement within the period.

“It will interest the government to know that workers in the state have been patient and tolerant for the past five years without any promotional benefit and all of a sudden rather than issuing a latter to stimulate them, the exercise has been halted.

“This, we believe will not augur well, we therefore demand for the reversal of the said circular,” he said.

He added that in the mood of COVID-19 pandemic, it was not good to put pressure on government, rather, we strongly request the government to pay leave transport grant and gratuity to both state and local government staff and retirees.

He lauded Gov. Babagana Zulum, for his approach towards addressing issues concerning biometric data capture exercise for workers and prayed that other unresolved issues would be considered by the state government.